Purchasing General Information

The Kentucky State University Purchasing Department is responsible for purchasing all approved products and services on behalf of the university to support academic, and research programs. 

The Purchasing Department also purchases goods and services to support activities such as operations and maintenance, student housing, food services, and bookstore operations. Items purchased include scientific equipment and medical equipment, classroom and office furniture and supplies, chemicals, building construction and repair, maintenance services, and professional services.

The office also provides administrative oversight of all KSU contracts, Personal Service Contracts (PSC), and Memorandum of Agreement (MOA).

Kentucky State University Commonly Used Contracts 

• Click here for a listing of commonly used contracts - updated August 2020

Know Before You Buy

• KSU works on a NO PO - NO PAY policy. This means that any faculty/staff who need to purchase a product and/or services must have a pre-approved purchase order (PO) to provide to the vendor.  Invoices from Vendors must reference this PO number or they will be disputed. Please see the Accounts Payable Page for more information. 

Sole Source Justification

• Governance

In accordance with Kentucky Revised Statutes KRS 45A.095 and Kentucky Administrative Regulations 200 KAR 5:309, Kentucky State University may award the purchase of commodities, services, or equipment through noncompetitive negotiations from a sole source when it is determined that equivalent commodities, services, or equipment cannot be obtained from any other source.

• University Requests for Sole Source Contracts

The Purchasing Department will require the requesting department to fill out a Sole Source Justification Form, stating any specific, technical, or proprietary reasons which would exclude any other vendor from supplying equivalent commodities, services, or equipment. The Purchasing Department may require a meeting to discuss the information provided on the form to ensure all necessary information has been documented.

• Sole Source Contract Processing & Award

Any commodities, services, or equipment deemed to be available only from a sole/single source shall be posted on the Kentucky State University Bid Opportunities Web Page for at least ten (10) days prior to the award. During that time a vendor may challenge a sole source justification and provide documentation demonstrating that they can in fact supply equivalent commodities, services, or equipment. In which case, the commodities, services, or equipment would be competitively bid in accordance with Kentucky Revised Statutes KRS 45A.080.

If the sole source justification is not challenged by any other vendors, the buyer will issue a sole source determination, in writing, awarding the purchase of the commodities, services, or equipment to the vendor.